Suction cleaner



lished.

Patented Nov. 6, 1945 FFHCE 2,388,279 snc'rion (JILEANER Hratta,Deerfield, 1111., Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, acorporation of Delaware Application September 27, 19 33, Serial No.503,916

Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaner of the type in which thefiltering and suction units are both enclosed within a rigid housing towhich which a dust-laden air stream is led through a flexible suctionhose from a cleaning tool. One of the objects of the invention is toprovide a suction cleaner of this type wherein the filtering unit hasthe advantage of being arranged vertically or substantially verticallyand the hose is connected to the housing in such a position as to attainmaximum emciency inthe conveyance of a dust-laden air stream into. thefiltering and collecting nit, and yet the center of gravity of the enireody of the cleaner is sufliciently low and the w ght is sumcientlydistributed horizontally so tha the cleaner body may be dragged -aboutby the suction hose without being tipped over by the pull of the hose.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a. cleaner whereinthe suction unit is coupled closely to the filtering and dust collectingunit so as to obtain maximum efiiciencyin the application of suction tothe filtering unit. A further object is to provide an arrangementwherein the space within a streamlined housing, suchas, forexample, oftear drop shape, is utilized so as to obtain maximum compactness.Another object is to provide a cleaner of the type indicated whereinboth the filtering and suction units can be quick ly and easily exposedfor servicing, and wherein a sealed connection between the suction hoseand filtering unit may be easily and readily estab- Toward theattainment of the foregoing ob jects, the invention contemplates anarrangement wherein the filtering and suction units are mounted side byside upon a base and enclosed between the base and a dome shaped covermember which tion hose and the filtering unit as an incident to theclosing of the cover.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a vacuum cleaner which inaddition to the characteristics set forth above, has provision for ablower connection direct to the casing thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will be- 0 come apparent from aperusal of the following specifications taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a suction cleaner embodying the invention.1

. to the position indicated in dotted lines,

its lower edge extends vertically and the sucis adapted to be liftedwith the suction and filter- Toledo, Uhio, and Lynn H.

assignors to Air-Way Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view 4of the main body portion of the cleaner.

- Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, taken as indicatedby the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

As an example of one form in which theinvention may be embodied, we haveshown in the drawing a suction cleaner wherein the suction unit,indicated gerierally at 10, and the dust col.- lecting and air filteringu t, indicated generally at l2, are mounted in side by side relationshipupon a'low base It with the axis of both units vertical or substantiallyvertical, and wherein a'cover i6 is adapted to form, together with thebase. it, a housing enclosing a chamber il in which the suction andfiltering units It) and i2 are accommodated.

While the axis of the filtering unit I2 may not be exactly vertical,it'is preferred to have it ar ranged on a generally vertical axis, inorder that the dust laden air stream may enter the filtering andcollecting receptacle at the upper end thereof, thus leaving theentrance portion of the receptacle always clear until the receptacle issubstantially' full of collected dust and refuse,

' The cover It is generally dome shaped, the

thence extended rearwardly as at 24 to the hinge l8. A latch 26 normallylatches the lower forward portion of the cover It to the base [4. Byreleasing the latch 26, the cover it may be lifted tion and filteringunits l0 and I2 are substantially completely exposed. The cover willbesupported in this raised position by engagement of the'tail portion 28thereof against the lower surface of the raised extended portion 24 ofthe base .l4 as indicated .by the dotted lines. 1

'With the cover IS in the raised position, the carbon brushes 30 and thescrews 32 by means of which the suction unit. I0 is mounted onsupporting brackets 34 and 35, are fully exposed for servicingoperations. The filtering unit 12 includes the receptacle 20,-a.perforated supporting liner 3B encircling the receptacle 20, and atubular casing 38 encircling and spaced from liner 36. At the upper endof the casing 38 is an annular channel 40 in which is mounted a ring 42of compressible material such'as for example soft rubber, and thewherein disposed of when filled, is pro-.

vided at its upper end with a non-porous flange the receptacle 20. Thenozzle 48 carries a sealing ring 56 of compressible material such assoft rubber, which is adapted to seal the nozzle to the top 52. Theparts are so arranged that the sealing of the nozzle 48 to the top '52and the clamping of the flange 44 against the packing ring 42 iseffected by moving the cover Hi to a closed position and latching it inthat position. Conversely, the raising of the cover I 6 to the verticalposition uncovers-the filtering unit so that a filled receptacle 28 maybe removed and replaced by a fresh receptacle.

Formed in the cover I8 is an inlet 58 which i is connected to the nozzle48 by a short duct 80. The floor tool 62 of the cleaner, mounted on theend of a wand 84, isadapted to be connected to the filtering unit by aflexible suction hose 66.

having on one end a suitable connector. 87 for connection to the inlet58. The connector 68 may if desired incorporate a swivel to permitswiveling of the hose relative to the bodv of the cleaner. Suitablemeans, such as the latch 68, may be employed for connecting the hose tothe inlet 58 in such a manner as totransmit the pull of the hose to thebody of the cleaner.

The casing 38 of the filtering unit I 2 is mounted at its lower end uponan annular flange '18 formed integrallywith the base [-4 andconstituting one end of a duct 12' adapted to apply suction to the lowerend of the casing 38. The annular flange 18 defines a circular portcommunicating with the open lower end of the casing 38. An inturnedflange H, on the lower end of the casing 38 providesthe means forattaching the casing 38 to the duct flange 18. in connection withsuitable attaching elements such as the screws 13, extended upwardlythrough the base I 4 and the flange 18, and threaded into the flange ll.4

The other end of the duct 12 is formed with an annular shoulder 14defining a port communicating with'a suction inlet 16 in the lower endof the motor casing 18 of the suction unit Ill. The casing 18 is mountedon the'brackets 34 and 35 thru the medium of a vibration dampenermounting 80, and may also be attached at its lower end'to the shoulder14 by means of screws 82, with a cushioning gasket 83 interposed. Thecasing 18 encloses an electric motor (not shown).

Mounted upon the upper end of the motor casing 18 is the fan casing 84in which the suction fan (not shown on the drawing) is driven by themotor in casing 18. From the discharge apertures 85 of the fan casing84, the air is discharged into the chamber l1 and escapes from this mainchamber through a blower outlet 88. The blower outlet 86 is adapted toreceive the hose connection 61 so that the hose'66 may be used as ameans for attaching blowing implements or other air pressure operatedimplements to the cleaner. In order that suiflcient pressure may bedelivered at the outlet 86, the cover I6 is provided with a shoulder 88which is adapted to seal against a gasket 89 in the base l4, thusrendering thernain chamber substantially airtight.

The cleaner is supported upon casters 9! which may be arranged intricycle fomiation as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and whichpermit the cleaner to be dragged about behind the operator by the hose66.

The inlet 58 is located at the upper end of the cover It so as toprovide the most direct line of entry of the dust laden air stream intothe filtering unit, and so as to support the hose at the maximumdistance from the floor at both ends, thereby avoiding dragging the hoseagainst the floor. The distribution of weight is such however as toavoid any tendency of the cleaner to tip over .under the pull of thehose. This is accomplished by arranging the filtering and suctionunit'sas low as possible without sacrificing the advantages of havingthe filter-unit arranged on a vertical or generally vertical axis.

In order to facilitate construction of the base 14, the duct 12 may beformed with lateral walls integral with the base l4 and with a separatetop wall .98 of sheet metal or the like, secured to the flange I0,shoulder 14, and the side walls of the duct 12 connecting the flange 18and shoulder 14.

It may now be noted that the construction is such as to facilitatestreamlining of the housing portion 'of the cleaner, the visible portionof which comprises the cover l6, and proportioning it in such a mannerthat the center of gravity is sufliciently low to avoid tipping underthe pull 7 of the hose. It also permits'ready access to all workingparts by simply unlatching the cover and lifting it to an upstandingposition. It incorporates the advantages of a dust collecting andfiltering unit arranged vertically and with its inlet at the top. Itprovides for the selective connection of either suction or blowingtools. It provides an arrangement wherein a filled recepetacle may bequickly removed and replaced by an empty receptacle, and provides forthe automatic sealing of the cover and inlet to the receptacle when thecover is moved to closed position and latched in that position. Itprovides a close coupled suction connection between the suction unit andthe filtering unit.

In the operation of the cleaner, air is drawn from the duct 72 upwardlythrough the motor casing 18 and is discharged from the fan casing 84into the chamber ll. From the chamber I! it passes to the atmospherethrough the blower outlet 86. Th suction applied to the duct 12 draws adust-laden air stream through the tube 66 and nozzle 48 into thereceptacle 20, the suction being applied to the lower end of the casing38 by the duct 12, and thence to the annular space between the liner 36and the casing 38.

It is contemplated that the cover I6, or both the cover l6 and base I4,may be formed of plastic material by suitable plastic mold'ng process.This would make it possible to inco porate any desired ornamentation andcolor in the external surface of the cleaner, and would providelightness coupled with adequate .strength.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a suction cleaner, a base, a suction unit on said base, afiltering unit on said base in communication with said suction unit,said filtering unit including an upright casing and a dust collectingunit within said casing, said dust collecting unit having a foraminouswall and an inlet aperture, a cover cooperating with said base toenclose said units, means carried by and movwherein said coverconnection with said base at a point remote from able with the coverforming a portion of the'air inlet duct and cooperating with said inletaperture to direct dust-laden air into said dust collecting unit, and .amounting for said cover enabling same to be moved to a position freelytoexpose said suction and filtering units and enable ready inspection ofsaid dust collecting unit.

2. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base isgenerally fiat and said cover is dome-shaped with the side walls thereofenclosing the top and side portions of the suction and filtering units.

3. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 1 mounting comprises a hingedsaid tube to enable the tube to be swung free of said dust collectingunit.

4. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cover mountingcomprises a hinged connection with said base at a point remote from saidtube to enable the tube to be swung free of said dust collecting unit,said cover having a blower outlet, and means for sealing the cover tosaid base thereby to provide a substantially air-tight chamberforconductingthe discharge from the suction unit to the blower outlet.

5. In a suction cleaner, a base, a duct attached to said base, said ducthaving an upward: ly opening inlet and upwardly disposed outlet, asuction unit connected to the outlet portion of said duct, a filteringunit including an imperforate casing mounted upon the inlet portion ofsaid duct and extending vertically upwardly and including a porous ductcollecting receptacle within said casing, said receptacle having anoutwardly extending flange adapted to rest upon the upper end of thecasing, and a cover hinged to the base at a point remote from thefiltering unit, said cover being position wherein said filtering andsuction units are exposed for servicing operations, and said coverhaving means adapted, when it is closed,

' to clamp said flange against the upper-end of said casing forsupporting said receptacle and including an inlet adapted to establishcommunication with said receptacle when the cover is closed. JOSEPH H.NUFFER. LYNN H. LAI'IA.

adapted to be raised to a

